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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28342941">Future</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie'>Chie (Chierafied)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Reader Prompts SK [39]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Developing Relationship, F/M, Ficlet, Humor, Prompt Fic, Reunions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:49:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>725</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28342941</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was the first Christmas Sesshoumaru and Kagome spent together after unexpectedly meeting in the modern day, and it changed everything.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Higurashi Kagome/Sesshoumaru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Reader Prompts SK [39]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/881838</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Canon SessKag - Canon Divergence: Reunion, SessKag Fluff - Romantic Fluff</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Future</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/elevenharbor/gifts">elevenharbor</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sesshoumaru held his breath. Carefully, he folded the bit of wrapping paper around a corner, one agonising millimetre at a time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was his fifth attempt and he was hanging by a thread. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, he was finally going to make it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He only needed to take care of this one corner, tuck the paper neatly and apply the tape and success would be his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It would be sweet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could almost taste that wonderful victory on his tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then his finger slipped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they had done countless times before, his claws sliced right through the flimsy material, making a ruin of all his previous efforts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rage engulfed him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tore away the sorry remains of wrapping paper, a murderous growl rumbling in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whoever had invented wrapping paper needed to be taught a lesson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A long, torturous and fatal one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He flexed his hand as a deadly green glow threatened to make its appearance – a power he’d had no need to utilise for a century, now brought forth by wrapping paper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sesshoumaru took a deep breath. Tried to rein in his homicidal urges.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was in this whole damn predicament with the wrapping paper to begin with because he needed everything to be perfect for his first Christmas with Kagome.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doubted she would approve of a rampage of death and destruction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sesshoumaru focused on that thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Took another long breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gritted his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And pulled another sheet of wrapping paper towards him.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d enjoyed a lovely dinner, complete with fried chicken and followed by the traditional Christmas cake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fact that Sesshoumaru had gone to such trouble preparing this all was heartwarming; his apparent knowledge of the typical modern-day Christmas customs more than a little baffling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It shouldn’t be, of course – he’d probably been observing these Christmas traditions for a much longer time than Kagome had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she had seen first-hand the changes the centuries had wrought in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But every now and then, she would suddenly realise all anew that Sesshoumaru was </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, in her time, and the past and present would collide in her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And sometimes, still, the past would overwhelm her, to the point where for some brief moments the present slipped away entirely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today, though, Kagome was firmly rooted in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She beamed at Sesshoumaru. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You've done such a wonderful job today with all of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sesshoumaru stared into his wine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face was impassive as always, but Kagome could read his microexpressions well enough now, could spot that faint flush of his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I needed everything to be perfect,” he intoned evenly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It has been,” Kagome assured him. “Thank you for the lovely evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t thank me yet, we haven’t even got to the best part.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the best part?” Kagome asked, her curiosity perking up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. “The presents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagome’s smile froze. She squirmed in her seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She did have a present prepared, but she had no idea how Sesshoumaru would react to it – and if he might even accept it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because though they had grown very close very fast since their unexpected reunion, there were some very big lines they had not crossed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The friendship had bloomed and grown into a strong bond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But was there a future for them, beyond that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sesshoumaru got up from his seat and rounded the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wordlessly, he offered Kagome a present.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had clearly wrapped it up himself, which warmed her heart. She wasn’t sure how he had succeeded to make a rectangle look so lumpy, but it tugged at her heartstrings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took the gift and tore open the paper, eager to see what he had given her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The present was a brown box that </span>
  <span>rattled suspiciously in her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Curiosity growing, Kagome opened the box. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside, there was a smaller box.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagome stilled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blinked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Picked it up, her fingers trembling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fumbled a few times to pry it open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stared at the gleaming ring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blinking back tears, Kagome looked up to find Sesshoumaru kneeling before her, his golden gaze boring into her in question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gasping out a sob, Kagome picked up the ring and slipped it onto her finger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slid out of her chair as Sesshoumaru pulled her close, as she wound her arms tight around him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They came together in an embrace, their hearts pressed against one another.</span>
</p><p> </p>
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